PRC Semi final vs London Irish (A) - 26th April 2022

[Crofty]

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/com ... &context=3

According to this London Irish fan they only had the one first team player!

Ah the lengths the burst ego will go to in order to cling to a small victory...

[Tiglon]

Surprised to read so many people interested in even watching the PRC, let alone reading anything into results. I don't know what the score was and I'm not interested enough to bother googling it.

It's a competition to give a bit of pride to the weaker Prem clubs and to develop youngsters.

Zero bearing on what happens in the league or Champions Cup IMO. I mean, who really thinks Genge and Ford are going to come out with their heads down and sad faces on against Bristol or Leinster just because our reserves lost a game?

[Scott1]

Surprised to read so many people interested in even watching the PRC, let alone reading anything into results. I don't know what the score was and I'm not interested enough to bother googling it.

It's a competition to give a bit of pride to the weaker Prem clubs and to develop youngsters.

Zero bearing on what happens in the league or Champions Cup IMO. I mean, who really thinks Genge and Ford are going to come out with their heads down and sad faces on against Bristol or Leinster just because our reserves lost a game?

Surprised to see so many people watching and supporting their own team? I mean why would fans bother ay? Not interested in the match either yet is posting on the match thread

[mightymouse]

I thought Hurd played well when he came and would have preferred to see him at starting Tighthead

[Scott1]

I thought Hurd played well when he came and would have preferred to see him at starting Tighthead

Think he's overtaken Ladygaga now as third choice TH

[markharbtiger]

Well, the 'morning after' perspective might be that this was a learning experience for our youngsters. I'm sure a response at MWWR is to move on and focus on the other two more important competitions.
I really do feel that this particular competition needs both some harder eligibility rules and more thought about timing to avoid mismatches in experience as we saw last night, perhaps even the whole purpose needs revisiting. I'd be in favour of a proper B team competition where those playing haven't played in the other competitions...

[Scott1]

Well, the 'morning after' perspective might be that this was a learning experience for our youngsters. I'm sure a response at MWWR is to move on and focus on the other two more important competitions.
I really do feel that this particular competition needs both some harder eligibility rules and more thought about timing to avoid mismatches in experience as we saw last night, perhaps even the whole purpose needs revisiting. I'd be in favour of a proper B team competition where those playing haven't played in the other competitions...

Or 3 max,that way you can integrate those returning from injury or at least add a bit of experience. Some teams make a mockery of the competition.

[westwinds31]

I thought Hurd played well when he came and would have preferred to see him at starting Tighthead

Think he's overtaken Ladygaga now as third choice TH

Lady struggled last night.

[wigworth]

While obviously a disappointing result I would imagine it was a useful exercise for the decision makers about what personnel they will be interested in keeping and who can be thanked for their time at the club.

I am sure it has been suggested before but would it be possible to make the Cup a competition between prem 2/3rd teams and the Championship teams?

[Mayocaz]

I’d imagine the bodies making the decisions thought that playing games towards the end of this competition mid week might stop teams risking to many first team players but unfortunately with the likes of Irish and Worcester getting to this stage they’ve basically prioritised the cup over the league.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Bring back a proper "A" league & allow the teams to give their opponents a steer on the likely range of experience in the team they are putting out to avoid mismatches that achieve little for either team.
Not sure a huge amount was learnt by either side last night.

[Tigerbeat]

The dynamics of the competition has changed and Ugo Monye stated that this was used for players on fringes, on loan, coming back from injury to get some game time. Times have changed and not all clubs have the ability to have large squads, academies or development squads.
In the past, this was competition used to give up and coming players the opportunity to show what they can do in a competitive competition. Worcester do not have the same depth of players and have rotated there players in the past to give experience.

[Rugbygramps]

I’d imagine the bodies making the decisions thought that playing games towards the end of this competition mid week might stop teams risking to many first team players but unfortunately with the likes of Irish and Worcester getting to this stage they’ve basically prioritised the cup over the league.

Totally what they failed to see that with no relegation this was always likely

[Yorkietiger]

This whole competition is a joke, and it needs scrapping. What should replace it is a fully fledged A league where they play the reverse fixture of the scheduled Premiership game. It is scandalous that there is no competition where our development team can play regularly week in week out. Frankly loaning them out to other Championship clubs is not going to develop them they way we want them to be, neither will they gel as a team if they are scattered all over the place and only play together intermittently.

Doing this will provide regular opportunities for the squad to play together, allow a platform for players returning from injury to gain match fitness, provide opportunity for the fringe first team players to get regular match play. Season ticket holders should get access to attend these matches, and generally tickets should be provided at a nominal £5.00 each, with accompanied youngsters getting in for free.

Of course expecting the numpties in the RFU to come up with such a plan is probably expecting too much!

[TigerFeetSteve]

You could even see it in the last round. Worcester conceded a prem game to Gloucester 4 days before they got to the semifinals of this competition.